West Ham United were defeated 4-2 by West Bromwich Albion.
West Ham’s Cheikhou Kouyate scores their first goal
Former player Martin Keown says West Ham United midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate was like a fire engine arriving after a fire had gone out to describe his poor performance at the Hawthorns, the BBC report.
The Hammers headed in to their clash with West Brom in need of a solid showing following their 4-2 defeat to Watford, yet instead they endured a nightmare first hour which saw them trail 4-0.
Despite dominating possession and shots on goal, West Ham struggled to cope with West Brom’s direct play and a number of players were seemingly constantly pulled out of position.
West Ham United’s Cheikhou Kouyate
The visitors looked lethargic, slow and weak in the challenge, prompting Keown to single out Kouyate for heavy criticism as the midfielder often arrived on the scene too late.
“West Ham look as though they couldn’t buy a win or a clean sheet at the moment. Their midfield looks a problem. Cheikhou Kouyate is like a fire engine that arrives at a fire after it has gone out,” Keown told the BBC.
| Tackles | Duels Won | Interceptions | Ball Recoveries | Effective Clearances | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheikhou Kouyaté | 4 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 90 |
As shown by the table provided by Opta, Kouyate posted a number of impressive statistics in key areas but one has to question whether this is a result of West Ham’s sloppiness on the ball.
The Senegal international for instance posted four tackles, nine defensive duels won and eight ball recoveries, yet considering the Hammers had up to 70% of possession it appears he was being worked far more than he should.
Slaven Bilic’s side have conceded an alarming 13 Premier League goals in just five matches, and eight against two sides (Watford and West Brom) who aren’t renowned for being heavy scorers.
There seems to be a weak spine to the current West Ham side, and with the transfer window shut Bilic now has a tough task to patch things up at the back and find the correct balance in the team.
West Ham’s manager Slaven Bilic looks dejected
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